California Western Students Featured in KPBS Story on Expanding Pathways to the Legal Profession

Sept 15 2026
From left: SILSA Board Members 2L Samuel Finkelstein, 2L Kannica Chandy, Assistant Director of Admissions Planning and Data Janelle Brown-Peters, 2L Lauren Tyler, 2L Julie Hinton, 3L Colleen Murphy, and 2L Nicolas Bell
From left: SILSA Board Members 2L Samuel Finkelstein, 2L Kannica Chandy, Assistant Director of Admissions Planning and Data Janelle Brown-Peters, 2L Lauren Tyler, 2L Julie Hinton, 3L Colleen Murphy, and 2L Nicolas Bell

Three members of California Western School of Law's System Impacted Law Student Association (SILSA) are featured in the KPBS story examining the challenges and opportunities facing formerly incarcerated individuals pursuing careers in law. The story highlights experiences of 3L Colleen Murphy, 2L Julie Hinton, and 2L Lauren Tyler, who share how they navigate law school while confronting financial, practical, and personal barriers unique to system-impacted students. 


Co-founded last year by Murphy, Hinton and Tyler, SILSA provides community, support, and advocacy for law students affected by the justice system. The feature story explains how members help one another overcome obstacles, advocate for clients through San Diego County's Homeless Court program, and work to expand access to legal education for others with similar lived experiences. SILSA is believed to be the first organization of its kind in San Diego and among the first in the nation. 


Read the full KPBS story or watch the video segment including interviews from the students beginning at timecode 11:30.   

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